Vision is the lifeblood of any organization. It is
what keeps it moving forward. It provides meaning
to the day-to-day challenges and setbacks that
make up the rumble and tumble of real life.

In a down economy—particularly one that has
taken most of us by surprise—things get very
tactical. We are just trying to survive. What
worked yesterday does not necessarily work today.
What works today may not necessarily work
tomorrow. Decisions become pragmatic.

But after a while this wears on people. They don’t
know why their efforts matter. They cannot
connect their actions to a larger story. Their work
becomes a matter of just going through the
motions, living from weekend to weekend,
paycheck to paycheck.

This is where great leadership makes all the
difference. Leadership is more than influence. It is
about reminding people of what it is we are trying
to build—and why it matters. It is about painting a
picture of a better future. It comes down to
pointing the way and saying, “C’mon. We can do
this!”

When times are tough, vision is the first causality.
Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing
we must recover.

I think this is a real issue for us right now. We are very focused on what we aren’t getting - money, recognition, visibility, etc. That makes us tactical in a way that is not always productive. I found this reminder to look beyond the immediate challenges a good way to restore the vision we need to survive - and to inspire the smarter work we need to thrive.